Playing with Poison: A Cue Ball Mystery Book Tour – Review and Giveaway
Pool shark Jessie Hewitt usually knows where the balls will fall and how the game will end. But when a body lands on her couch, and the cute cop in her kitchen accuses her of murder, even Jessie isn’t sure what will happen next. Playing With Poison is a cozy mystery with a lot of humor, a little romance, and far too much champagne.
Cindy Blackburn has a confession to make–she does not play pool. It’s that whole eye-hand coordination thing. What Cindy does do well is school. So when she’s not writing silly stories she’s teaching serious history. European history is her favorite subject, and the ancient stuff is best of all. The deader the better! A native Vermonter who hates cold weather, Cindy divides her time between the south and the north. During the school year you’ll find her in South Carolina, but come summer she’ll be on the porch of her lakeside shack in Vermont. Cindy has a fat cat named Betty and a cute husband named John. Betty the muse meows constantly while Cindy tries to type. John provides the technical support. Both are extremely lovable.
When Cindy isn’t writing, grading papers, or feeding the cat, she likes to take long walks or paddle her kayak around the lake. Her favorite travel destinations are all in Europe, her favorite TV show is NCIS, her favorite movie is Moonstruck, her favorite color is orange, and her favorite authors (if she must choose) are Joan Hess and Spencer Quinn. Cindy dislikes vacuuming, traffic, and lima beans.
Check out Cindy’s website at http://www.cueballmysteries.com for more information about Cindy and the Cue Ball Mystery books!
This was such a fun cozy mystery! Jessie Hewitt, steamy romance author and pool player extraordinaire, was an enjoyable character who made me laugh. She is accused of murdering her neighbor’s boyfriend when he stumbles into her apartment and promptly dies on the couch. Jessie is perplexed and flat-out annoyed when Detective Wilson Rye informs her she’s the prime suspect. It is wonderful to see the tension build between them, and you can just tell they drive each other crazy…in bad ways and in good.
Jessie sets out to clear her name by finding out who the real killer is, and why, even though she’s been told she does not need to be sleuthing around. Jessie’s sleuthing is balanced with her writing her latest romance novel. It’s interesting to see that little story developing within the story as well. Detective Wilson Rye tells Jessie at one point that he is 90% sure she is innocent, and that gets her fired up. 
She is investigating all their friends, her ex-husband, the company the deceased worked for, and more.
I wasn’t sure if I would like a book that involved pool-playing, but I really did like it. I thought the story would be a lot more focused on the game of pool, and it wasn’t. If you’re looking for a fun, cute cozy mystery, check out Playing with Poison. It’s a great start to a fun series!
Side note: I totally loved the character of Snowflake, Jessie’s cat. 
Snowflake is a typical cat lol. I love when a story involves the pets, especially cats! Snowflake gets an honorary mention.
Now it’s time for a giveaway! Cindy is offering an ebook copy of Playing with Poison at each stop on the Playing with Poison: A Cue Ball Mystery book tour. All you have to do to enter to win today is leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on the book or my review. Please leave your e-mail address as well so we can get in touch with you if you’re the winner! Good luck!!
This looks like a really cool idea.
These are really awesome books, I have read them all and loved them.
Cats can make a cozy for me—I’m a cat lover. I really want to meet Snowflake.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I only recently learned of this series and this review makes me want to read it.
Thanks for the interest! And I am so glad you liked the Cue Ball Mysteries, Pamela. I’m working on book 4. Four Play. They are so much fun to write. Snowflake wants to meet you, too, Sue!
It was so much fun to be able to read. Thanks for giving us a great series, Cindy!
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